


5 Encounters John and Rodney Have

by tigerlady (shetiger)



Series: Gifts [2]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-06
Updated: 2010-01-06
Packaged: 2017-10-14 12:02:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/149063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shetiger/pseuds/tigerlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Small interludes following Gifts Unasked For.</p>
            </blockquote>





	5 Encounters John and Rodney Have

**1\. Elizabeth**   


John rubbed the back of his neck, surreptitiously checking the traffic outside Elizabeth's office. Still no sign of her, but as far as he could tell everybody else was immersed in their work, not paying any attention to the two miscreants waiting to see the principal. He slumped down a little further in his chair, turning his head slightly so he could study Rodney.

They hadn't been alone together for two whole days. While it had been a separation of his own creation, it felt like forever. It seemed like every time he thought about going to see Rodney or Teyla, he'd bump into a Marine. Or one of the scientists, which was worse, because their curiosity always seemed to outpace their manners, wanting to know things he wasn't ever prepared to tell if he didn't have to, even though the looks on everyone's faces said that they knew everything anyway.

Rodney was completely absorbed in his laptop at the moment, giving John the perfect opportunity to just look. He'd had no idea that it was possible to miss someone so much in such a short time. He guessed it was because they'd had just themselves for those months together. It was weird to go without talking to Rodney and Teyla.

To go without touching them.

Rodney grunted and set off on a keystroke marathon. John would have bet that Rodney had been forgoing sleep to catch up on everything that had happened while they'd been gone, but he didn't look like it. He didn't have any circles under his eyes. He was clean-shaven, his clothes neat, his hair cut short once again. He looked good. Energized.

"Would you believe this?" Rodney asked, fingers drawing away from the keyboard so they could jab at the screen. "Radek has this idea--"

John knew he was caught when Rodney trailed off, but he couldn't look away.

"John?" Rodney asked, brow drawing down before clarity smoothed it back out. He licked his lips, eyes going dark just like they did every time John had kissed him. "Oh," he said, _almost_ whisper-quiet. "I thought maybe--"

"Gentlemen." Elizabeth's greeting announced her presence as sharply as a call to attention. John could almost see stars on her shoulders as she marched into the room.

Rodney jumped, flailing for his keyboard before he even looked at the screen. John smiled tightly at Elizabeth, hoping she took it for his usual 'how do you solve a problem like McKay?' look. She rolled her eyes and then sat down at her desk, folding her hands in front of her.

"I wanted to talk to you together, so I could impress upon you how difficult this entire situation has been."

A glimmer of hope flared; John locked his eyes on the tapestry just beyond Elizabeth's head and nodded.

"Elizabeth, we didn't have any choice," Rodney started, but she shut him down with the iciest glare John had ever seen her give. His little flicker of hope sputtered as she directed that glare his way, then flared up again when she let out a deep breath, her iron-maiden hardness yielding slightly.

"You both owe Colonel Caldwell more than you can ever repay," she said, and John wasn't sure if she sounded pleased with that fact or not. "Especially you--Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard."

John had seen guys take a slug to the lungs before. They dropped like stone, all the air going out of them in an instant. He felt just like that. When he finally took a breath again, his head felt huge. Dizzy.

"You mean?" Rodney asked for him, sounding as incredulous as John felt. Then he crossed his arms, head bobbing smugly as he turned towards John. "See? I told you so."

"You're not actually supposed to say that out loud, McKay," John said faintly. He was busy watching Elizabeth, waiting for her to drop the real bomb.

"For some reason," she continued, "he chose to report you as missing on an authorized mission, rather than as AWOL. Your commission was never in danger."

"Thank you," he told her quietly. Sincerely.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I didn't have anything to do with it. And frankly, John, if I'd been in his position, I don't know that I'd have made the same decision."

"I understand," he told her, and he honestly did. Even if the way he ordered his priorities would never match hers. "So where does that leave us?"

"That depends on you." She turned her head slightly, widening the beam of her glare to include Rodney. John wondered when she'd gotten so comfortable with the weight of command. "If you ever try something like this again, you'll be back on Earth so fast you won't have time to say goodbye. And I mean that for both of you."

John didn't look away from Elizabeth's gaze, but he could hear Rodney open his mouth. Could hear the indrawn breath, and the way it huffed out again as Rodney finally decided not to push his luck. John nodded slowly.

"I understand," he said, acknowledging, not promising. He was pretty sure Elizabeth heard the difference, but she didn't call him on it. They both knew he'd do his best.

"Right." Rodney leaned forward, pushing his laptop slightly to the side. "We'll be good from here on out, Elizabeth. So does this mean I can take back the labs?"

"Yes," she said dryly. "If by 'take back the labs' you mean resume your normal duties, and not some power-mad coup."

"It's not a coup if I'm already in charge," Rodney protested. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Yes, yes, fine. I didn't turn into a mad scientist while we were away, if that's what you're afraid of."

"Turn into?" she asked, a smile rising up to strip away the hard veneer and finally reveal the woman John had thought he knew. Rodney started protesting. John sank a little further into his chair, feeling like all his bones had just settled back into place.

"John," Elizabeth said, cutting Rodney off. "I'll let Colonel Caldwell fully apprise you of your orders, but the short of it is that there's a new threat in the Milky Way that's demanding more of the SGC's resources. They can't afford to have the _Daedalus_ stationed in Pegasus full time."

"What? What about the Wraith?" Rodney asked. "They won't be fooled forever, Elizabeth, and the shield..."

"I'm not happy about it, either. But we'll just have to take care of ourselves and hope for the best."

"And Caldwell?" John asked.

"Will be in command of the _Daedalus_ ," Elizabeth said. And then she grinned. "Which means you're my new military commander, Colonel."

John blinked. He turned towards Rodney; Rodney just blinked at him. He looked back at Elizabeth, whose grin had settled into a soft, knowing smile.

"Well, okay, then." John was suddenly swept back to square-dancing lessons in fifth grade gym class, his whole body itching with the need to jump up and swing Rodney around. He rubbed his palms against his thighs, driving the crazy urge down. "I guess I have some mission reports to catch up on."

"One or two," Elizabeth agreed. She picked up a flash drive and held it out to him. "Maybe you'd best get on them."

"Yes, ma'am," John said smartly. He took the drive and stood. Rodney looked surprised that the meeting was over, but he scooped up his laptop without any hesitation. They turned towards the door.

"John. Rodney."

They turned together, in step without even trying.

"I'm glad you're back."

"Well, it's good to be back," Rodney told her, and John nodded.

Elizabeth looked like she was on the verge of saying something more, probably something very awkward and emotional. John shifted his weight from right to left, moving closer to Rodney's heat. But she simply waved, shooing them out the door.

"Are you in shock?" Rodney asked as they reached the transporters. "Because you haven't said anything yet, and that was... Actually, I think _I_ might be in shock. Or maybe I just need food."

"Food could work," John said. Rodney sent the transporter down to the cafeteria level. Before he set off for his great feast, John grabbed his wrist. "I was thinking maybe we could eat somewhere more private. Let Teyla know what's going on."

Rodney looked at John exactly like he had back in Elizabeth's office, startled and horny and full of need all at once. "That, ah, sounds perfect," he said. "I'll get the food."

John nodded. "I'll find Teyla."

Rodney grinned. He rolled his wrist in John's grip, enough that they could squeeze each other's fingers. They let go at the same time, and then Rodney darted out the doors.

As soon as they closed, John sagged against the wall of the transporter and rubbed his hands over his face. That was enough to knock him out of the shock that Rodney had so acutely diagnosed. He grinned at the opposite wall, then gave in and pumped his fist in the air once, twice. He might have even pulled out a little air guitar. Then, very calmly, he hit the control panel.

The rest of his celebration would wait until he had Rodney and Teyla alone.

  
**2\. Lorne**

Rodney wasn't paying much attention to anything when he slid his tray onto the table and settled in beside John. He'd spent months in Antarctica studying the ZPM that they'd used to get here, and he knew, _knew_ deep down in his gut, that the slight variance in the consumption curve of their current ZPM as compared to that one was significant. Radek kept insisting that it was natural, given the varying levels. It wasn't that Rodney disagreed on that point, but it was something in the way that they varied--

"McKay."

Rodney paused with a forkful of lasagna halfway to his mouth--god, real cafeteria-style lasagna, beef ground fine and sauce barely spiced, just the way he liked it--and looked over at John. John had one eyebrow cocked, like he was amused at Rodney's preoccupation, and his lips were pursed in a way that took Rodney right back to yesterday afternoon. John's mouth never made a perfect O. His lips were too full, too bowed and pouty. But yesterday they'd come the closest Rodney'd ever seen when they'd wrapped around his cock for the first time, sucking him slow and deep while Teyla stroked her fingertips across John's cheeks.

The lasagna wobbled off of his fork.

"Nice move, McKay," John said, a little more sharply than his usual teasing tones. "Have you met Major Lorne yet?"

Rodney tore his gaze away from John's lips long enough to realize there was a reason for the harsh tone. A guy sat opposite John, short dark hair and black jacket panels proclaiming him part of the military. Rodney wondered how badly he'd been broadcasting. He'd told John he could handle their secret, but this was not the way to start.

"Ah, no," he said, clearing his throat. "Not that I remember, anyway, although I've been caught up in things lately. Science things. Sometimes I just stare off into space, thinking about beautiful, beautiful physics."

Lorne raised an eyebrow, but he gamely stuck out his hand. Rodney started to return the gesture, still holding his fork. Lorne dodged the tines effortlessly and turned the aborted handshake into a smooth grab for his milk.

"Nice to meet you, Dr. McKay," he said instead. "I think I've seen you around, but we haven't met, yet."

"Right," Rodney said. He nodded stupidly for a moment, then looked over at John. John rolled his eyes.

"Lorne is my minder," he explained.

"Minder?"

"XO," Lorne corrected with a bit of a smile. "Mostly it means a lot of paperwork."

He seemed nice enough, but Rodney was beginning to get John's warning. This guy could be dangerous, if they got on his bad side. If they got stupid around him or his friends. Rodney nodded and tried to smile.

"Right. Good. Well, I need to eat now, so you two go back to your military talk. All that macho stuff." And then he looked back down at his plate and started shoveling in his lasagna double-time.

"Don't mind McKay." John let out a long-suffering sigh that said he'd spent a lot of time figuring out the very best ways to do that. "Eccentricity's part of that whole genius deal. At least he combs his hair."

Lorne laughed. "No Einstein, huh?"

"Well, not McKay," John said. His forearm brushed Rodney's as he leaned forward. "But there's a guy here I do think is trying to follow in old Albert's footsteps."

Rodney rolled his eyes. Radek would love to hear that one. Maybe next time they got into a name-calling fight. For now, though, he had other things to attend to than trying to avoid outing John. He picked up his tray and carted it over to the return, mind already back on the consumption curves.

John looked up at the exact time that Rodney turned back towards the door. Their eyes met. John smiled, just softly enough to make it personal, one for Rodney's eyes only.

Rodney nodded once and went on his way.

  
**3\. Ronon**

He was going to die.

Pulse drumming through his throat, the air in his nose on fire, Rodney ran and ran, but he was going to die. He could feel the Wraith right behind him, could feel it reaching out, reaching out to pull him down and press that gaping hand-mouth to his chest. He was going to wind up like Gaul, shriveled like a single prune lost in the depths of the crisper drawer. His precious brain wasted. Humanity would--

"Ahhhhhhhh," he shrieked as the world turned upside-down. He kept screaming, no other thought than _dead dead dead_ running through his brain. He could see the Wraith now. It snarled and closed in on him.

Then backed away.

Then closed in on him.

Then backed away.

Rodney closed his mouth, fear receding just enough for him to realize that the Wraith hadn't thrown him to the ground. Somehow, he was strung up in the air, swinging back and forth in front of the Wraith like a giant catnip treat.

The Wraith raised its hand as Rodney swung closer. He screamed again.

A dark form flew out of nowhere and tackled the Wraith to the ground.

Rodney stopped screaming. The pair tumbled over and over again. He couldn't make out any details, not when he was upside down in the dark, but the Wraith's long hair glowed as it streamed behind him. Like starlight tracers from the one time Rodney'd tried pot.

Somebody yelled. Deep and angry, but he thought it sounded human. Then the Wraith stopped moving and the other figure stood up.

Stood up and turned towards Rodney. Something metal glinted, and it didn't take his genius brain long to figure out that that something was a knife.

"Oh, no," he whimpered. The knife belonged to a really, really big guy. A big guy who had just slit a Wraith's throat, and who was now stalking towards Rodney with said knife in hand. "Hey, um, listen. Stop right there. I have friends close by, and if you hurt me, they'll be angry. Very, very angry--"

"Rodney!"

"Oh, thank god." Rodney closed his eyes for half a second, and when he opened them again, John was right in front of him.

Standing next to the hulk, who hadn't yet put away his knife. Fear leapt up once again, only now it wasn't for himself.

"He's not alone, either," Rodney started. "We have an entire army at our disposal. Or, um, Marines, not the army. But they have lots and lots of weapons and they'll be very, very angry if you hurt either one of us."

"Shut up, McKay," John hissed, then he completely turned his back on Rodney, walking straight towards the big guy. "Hey, man. Thank you."

"Are you crazy?" Rodney shouted. His ankle was really starting to throb, his head felt like it was going to explode, and John thought he was the Bigfoot-whisperer. "Do you not see the big knife?"

"Sheppard," the big guy said, his voice gravelly like he'd been living in a cave all of his life. "He one of yours?'

"Definitely," John said. Rodney shut his mouth, panicky questions forgotten. He'd never heard John sound like he was... claiming...anyone before. "So you think you could cut him down?"

"Give me a minute," big guy said. He took two steps and then completely disappeared from Rodney's line of sight.

"You okay?" John asked quietly, stepping close enough that Rodney could have reached out and touched him.

"Do I look like I'm okay?" he asked. "I'm hanging upside down after being nearly eaten by a Wraith, and--"

Rodney shrieked as his world went racing past him for the second time that night. He thought he saw John reach for him, but it was too little, too late.

"Oh, my god!" Rodney grabbed for his neck, then his head. He felt wetness on his forehead, and for several seconds he thought he was bleeding, until he realized the damp was sweat. "You could have killed me," he yelled at the big guy, at John, at the entire fucking universe.

"Relax, Rodney." John knelt down and started running his hands all over Rodney's body. Normally that would have been a very good thing, but he was too freaked out to enjoy it. "You're okay. We're okay."

"What about Teyla?"

"I am fine," she said, stepping forward out of the shadows. She was standing shoulder to gigantic bicep with the big guy, though, which didn't make Rodney feel any better. "I am sorry I was not here sooner."

Then she knelt down at Rodney's other side and reached for his hand.

"Oh, well." Teyla brushed her thumb across the back of his hand--and the world around him finally evened out, the dark shadows and shapes resolving into the heavy forest he knew was all around. "Well, it worked out all right."

John shook his head, smiling, but he still had a hold on Rodney's other wrist. It didn't feel like he was ready to let go anytime soon.

"Ronon," John called, and the big guy moved closer. "I'd like you to meet Dr. Rodney McKay."

  
**4\. Teyla**

John leaned back against the cool wall of the corridor and took three long, deep breaths. Then he keyed his radio for the private channel he never let himself use.

"Sheppard to McKay."

"Colonel?" Rodney asked half a beat later. "Is something wrong?"

John sighed. Apparently he hadn't taken enough time to get himself in order. "We need to talk." He winced as he realized what words had just come out of his mouth. "Can you come up to Teyla's quarters?"

John waited for Rodney to start interrogating him, to start making excuses about his precious time and skills, but after a long ten seconds, he said, "I'll be right there."

John let his head drop back against the wall. Rodney was probably freaking out right now. John should have said something reassuring, but he was too busy trying not to freak out himself to come up with anything.

At least it meant Rodney hurried. Less than five minutes after John's call, Rodney not-quite-jogged around the corner.

"What? What's wrong? Did something happen?" Rodney started asking as soon as he caught sight of John.

"Just be quiet, okay?" he warned, even though there wasn't anyone around that he could see. He grabbed Rodney by the wrist and pulled them both inside Teyla's quarters. He waited for the doors to close before starting to explain, but by then Rodney could hear exactly what had sent John scrambling: the sound of harsh retching coming from the bathroom, followed by low, pitiful moans.

"Is that Teyla?"

John rolled his eyes. "No, it's Hermiod."

Rodney narrowed his eyes. "Yes, fine, it was a stupid question. But if she's sick, shouldn't we call Carson?"

"Maybe." John shrugged uneasily. He had a feeling this was the kind of thing that should have a definite response, but he kept coming up with reasons not to act. "I'm not sure she's sick, though."

The retching started up again. Rodney gave him a 'you idiot' look, but it was mitigated by the growing worry on his face. "Okay, obviously she's sick. So let's call Carson."

John shook his head. "You're not getting it, Rodney. Have you seen her at breakfast at all lately?"

Rodney frowned. "So what, she's been sick for a while?"

John waited. Sure enough, Rodney's eyes went big enough to swallow a ZPM.

"No, she can't be!"

John winced and made hushing motions. Rodney glanced back towards the bathroom as the toilet flushed; a few seconds later, the shower started up.

"She can't be," Rodney said, slightly quieter this time around. "We've been careful!"

"Condoms aren't a hundred percent," John said, much more calmly than he felt. "And we weren't careful that last time..."

"On the planet," Rodney finished. He eased down, old-man slow, onto the edge of Teyla's bed. "Are you sure? It's been a couple months. Maybe it's food-poisoning?"

"No, I'm not sure," John snapped. "But she cancelled our session yesterday because she wasn't feeling up to it. When I asked if she needed to see Carson, she told me it was something that only time could help."

Rodney whimpered. "Oh, god. What are we going to do? I'm no good with kids. I'll permanently ruin it somehow, and then Teyla will hate me."

"You're not going to ruin your kid, Rodney." John sighed and sat down beside Rodney, picking up the throw pillow that was in his way. "Just chill out."

"Yes, well, how do you know? I have a niece I haven't even seen. Ever. _That_ has to be good for her psyche." Rodney poked John squarely in the pillow. "Don't be putting this all on me, by the way. It could be _your_ kid."

"I know." And with that they were back to the present, the what-ifs and oh-my-gods, and John had no idea what to think about any of it. Or what to do. He plucked at the tasseled corner of the pillow, thinking that Teyla would probably lay him out flat if he started acting like pregnancy was a problem. "Let's not focus on that right now, okay? Just, it's our kid."

"Our kid," Rodney said slowly, like the two syllables were the strangest he'd ever shaped. He looked up at John, smiling hesitantly. " _Our kid_ ," he said again, and John started to get it. "You and me. You and me and Teyla."

"Yeah," John croaked. Whether it was his or Rodney's DNA, he still couldn't picture what the kid would look like. He couldn't decide if it would have Teyla's coloring, or Rodney's, or a shade in between. Or if Rodney's blue eyes would come through, or if the kid would inherit John's own cowlick curse. But however the genetics fell out, he knew they'd have one amazing child. Together. "Yeah."

They were still staring stupidly at each other when Teyla emerged from the bathroom. They both stood up. She paused when she saw them, pulling the towel from her hair as she gave them an odd look.

"I did not realize we were meeting here." She hung the towel off the back of her desk chair, then pulled open the top drawer of her dresser. "Did I forget something?"

John shook his head. Rodney was busy staring at Teyla's robe-wrapped mid-section and seemed to be completely speechless for once in his life.

"We were worried," John ventured. "Because you've been under the weather lately."

She looked over her shoulder, eyebrows raised. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough to know that you really weren't missing breakfast all that much."

"I see." Teyla closed the drawer and turned around, empty-handed. "And you just listened in on my discomfort?"

"Well, you said Carson couldn't help," John said, "and I wasn't sure--"

"Are you pregnant?" Rodney asked.

Teyla's forehead scrunched tight. "Pregnant? Why would you..." She trailed off, her face relaxing again before she glanced back towards the bathroom. "I see. I hadn't considered how the side effects would appear to you."

"Side effects?" John asked, a beat ahead of Rodney, while _not pregnant not pregnant not pregnant_ revved up into an infinite loop in his head.

Teyla nodded. "I spoke with Carson about using a method of birth control that would be more convenient than the Athosian way, and we decided on an injection. He warned me that I might experience some nausea at first, but I must confess that I didn't expect it to be so bad."

"Oh," Rodney said, sounding remarkably disappointed. "Well, that makes sense. You should talk to him, though. Maybe he can give you something for the vomiting."

"I will, later." She moved past them and sat down on the edge of the bed, far less gracefully than John had ever seen her move. The side effects were definitely taking their toll. She tilted her head up, giving them a considering look. "You do realize that I do not wish to have a child anytime in the near future?"

 _You do realize I'm never going to want to talk about this, anytime-ever,_ John wanted to say, but he was a smart guy. He kept his mouth shut.

"We're fine with that," Rodney said. He sat down next to Teyla and awkwardly patted her hand. "Really, really okay. Not that it wouldn't, you know. Someday."

"Thank you," she said, smiling softly at Rodney. Then she looked up at John.

"Yeah, what Rodney said." John smiled back at her, but he kind of felt like something had just happened that he _really_ hadn't seen coming. Like he'd just gotten married and gone shopping for a crib all in the same day.

The weird thing was, he thought he might actually be okay with that.

  
**5\. Each other**

Rodney was halfway to his desk when he realized John was sitting on the bed, book unopened on his lap. "Oh, you're back."

John didn't hesitate to roll his eyes. "Why yes, Rodney, I am."

"So, ah, is Teyla all settled in, then?" Rodney set his scanner down on his desk, then opened up his laptop even though he hadn't been planning to work. But he needed something to control his fidgeting. Rodney wasn't sure what was on John's mind tonight. Sure, John made himself at home in Rodney's quarters from time to time, but usually it was when they were planning to watch a movie or play a game.

Or planning to have sex. Teyla was always there when that happened, though.

"She barely remembered to say goodbye," John told him. "I think half the settlement met the jumper. Halling had this whole list of things they were planning on doing."

"She was just there last week!"

"Yeah, but she didn't have Ronon with her then." John snorted. "The Athosians took right to him."

"Of course," Rodney muttered. Everybody took to Ronon. Even if Ronon wasn't sure if he took to them back. Rodney, on the other hand, was still waiting on cumulative evidence to make up his mind their new teammate. Sure, he was great in a fight. And okay, he had saved Rodney's life. And John and Teyla totally thought he was Batman and Hercules rolled into one.

Rodney was counting that one in the minus column at the moment.

"So, you want to do something?" John asked. "Or are you busy saving us from another crisis situation?"

"Thankfully, no. Were you thinking something in particular?" Rodney closed his laptop; there wasn't any point at even pretending to work when John had his mind set on something.

"Maybe," he said nonchalantly. He carefully tucked his book next to the lamp on Rodney's nightstand, then leaned back against the pillows, hands behind his head. The position stretched out his entire body, showing off his pecs and biceps. "I thought we could think of something fun. If we put our heads together."

"Oh! Oh, sure. If you want to."

John dropped his hands. "Hey, if you don't want to, I'm not going to make you."

"No, no, I want to," Rodney said hastily. They'd fooled around, just the two of them, often enough before, but Teyla'd never been that far away. "You don't think Teyla will mind?"

John smirked. "She all but ordered me to have a good time, Rodney."

"Well, good." He smiled at John, and John smiled back--but neither of them moved. It slowly dawned on Rodney that John was the one who was actually on the bed, and if they were going to do anything, it was more logical that Rodney should be the one to cross the room.

"Rodney?"

"Yes, good," he said, pushing himself up out of his chair. He wasn't sure why this was such a big deal for him. He'd been with John often enough now that it was starting to get... not old, never that, but comfortable. Relaxing, if anything that was so mind-blowingly good could be relaxing.

He didn't feel relaxed at all as he settled on the edge of the bed. John didn't make a move, just watched silently as Rodney took off his shoes, then his shirt, more out of the need to do something than a desire to get naked. He unbuttoned his pants, but he couldn't do anything more, not with John looking at him like that.

"So, ah, what do you want to do?"

John shook his head, which made no sense and just ratcheted Rodney's nerves higher. But then he sat forward. Rubbed the very tip of his index finger across the mole on Rodney's right shoulder.

"Everything," John finally said, right before he kissed Rodney. Kissed Rodney like he'd been thinking about it all day.

"Oh," Rodney mumbled against John's mouth. John smiled, nipped his lower lip, and pulled back enough that Rodney could form a full sentence. "Well, get undressed."

"I never would have thought of that on my own, genius." John swung his legs off the bed and started to strip.

"Yeah, I kind of got that impression," Rodney shot back, but he was mostly busy watching John. He pushed his own pants and boxers off and laid down on the bed.

He hadn't realized how chilled he was until John laid down next to him. John loved to touch--part of that always-active thing he had--and when he touched, he touched with his whole body. He rolled half on top of Rodney, pushing his thigh between Rodney's, mashing as much of their skin together as possible from head to toe.

"Hi," he whispered, really for no reason at all. Except that he could, with John's face next to his, so close.

"Hi," John whispered back. He dipped his head and rubbed his chin across Rodney's cheek.

"Ow," Rodney protested, even though it hadn't really hurt. But it got him a soft kiss on the spot, and another at the corner of his mouth.

"Better?"

"A little." Rodney stuck his lips out in a mock pout. "I think you roughed up my lips, too."

John chuckled. "You want the whole Indian Jones routine?"

"Please. I am not Marion in this scenario," he said, even though he probably was. For John, anyway.

John ran a hand down Rodney's chest, that same light touch he'd started out with, slow and teasing until he gripped Rodney's cock. "How about that? You're right," he said, gloating when Rodney writhed--just a little--and went dry-mouthed. "Not a woman after all."

"You totally have this all planned out, don't you?"

John lightly bit his earlobe, then moved down to Rodney's neck. "Not really, no."

"Mmm," Rodney hummed as John moved back to kissing. Good, slow, make-out kissing. Rodney was really, really turned on, but he wasn't in any hurry, just completely content to let John take this wherever he wanted. "Not really?"

John scooted down so his head was level with Rodney's belly button. Rodney's cock thought John's position was highly promising, bobbing up and down in an effort to get John's attention.

"I've had thoughts," John said, not moving downwards. "About things we don't normally take time to do."

Rodney nodded slowly. Having both Teyla and John was an embarrassment of riches, but sometimes it was just so physically complicated. Not to mention exhausting. He ran his finger down John's cheek, ready for whatever John had in mind. John closed his eyes and rubbed his face into Rodney's palm.

Then he tipped his chin and opened his mouth, letting his hot breath flow over the head of Rodney's cock.

"Oh, fuck, please."

John laughed, and it was torture.

"Johnnnn," Rodney whined, but all it got him was another breathy chuckle. John smacked his lips, and Rodney swore he could feel the sound waves hit his cock. He decided to take matters into his own hands. Threading his hands through John's thick hair, he tugged forward--and John let him.

"God, yes," he hissed when John finally took him in. So, so hot and wet, and John was letting him guide. He tried to keep it slow, draw it out like John had been doing with the entire evening so far. But then John did a little extra thing with his tongue on the upstroke, and Rodney needed more. He tried to thrust up, but John was heavy on his thighs.

"Faster," he pleaded, pushing down a little harder. John shook his head free and pulled away. Rodney's whimper was embarrassingly pitiful.

"Not yet," John said, his throat scratching over the words. He caught the pad of Rodney's right palm with his teeth, biting lightly, before he let go and scooted farther down the bed. He nosed into the soft skin between Rodney's balls and his leg, breath tickling as it stirred the hairs.

Then he bit down, right on the fleshy part of Rodney's thigh. Rodney jumped, curse strangled in the back of his throat when John moved to a different spot and bit again. It didn't hurt, but the shock it sent to his cock was almost unbearable.

"Yeah," John murmured, right into Rodney's skin. He licked along the crease of Rodney's thigh, the sound of his tongue over hair the scratch of a cat licking plastic in the dark. Then he moved to Rodney's other thigh and bit down again.

"You're going to kill me," Rodney said, mostly to the ceiling. He felt drunk, or maybe high, so blissed out he could only lie there and take whatever John dished out.

"But what a way to go." And then John sucked Rodney's left ball into his mouth, ever so gently, and held it there, tongue slowly stroking and rolling. Rodney was so intent on the sensation that his knees were in the air by the time he noticed John coaxing his legs upwards.

"Hold them up," John instructed, pushing Rodney's thighs higher. Rodney did what he was told, but John pushed for more. "Higher, or I'll make you start working out with Ronon."

Rodney hooked his hands under his knees and pulled as high as he could. And John--

John spread Rodney's ass cheeks apart and went right back to licking.

"Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..." His chant trailed off as he ran out of air. Rodney'd never even imagined that it would feel this good. And John just kept giving him more, tongue pushing in, soft but strong. Destroying every bit of genius he had.

"You liked that," John said sometime later. Rodney nodded, because he couldn't talk. His throat was completely dry from panting, so he couldn't even beg when John pushed in two lubed fingers. "You want more?"

"Now," he managed. John pulled his fingers out, and then his cock was there, sliding in so very easily.

"Fuck, Rodney." John looked as stoned as Rodney felt. He was staring at Rodney like he was the one who'd just spent a half-hour blowing John's mind, instead of the other way around. "You're..."

"Fuck me," Rodney told him.

John did.

They'd gone slow all night, but John let loose now. He braced himself on the wall above Rodney's head and just started pumping. Rodney couldn't take his eyes off John--head bowed, mouth open as he gasped and groaned--even though the pleasure wanted to force them shut.

Then John met his gaze. "Rodney," he croaked out. He pulled one hand away from the wall, holding himself up with the other. Rodney thought the sight of John doing one-armed push-ups might have been hot enough to make him come, but then John wrapped his hand tightly around Rodney's cock and it wasn't even a contest.

He closed his eyes as he came. John's thrusts faltered, but his hand didn't, not until the last throbs of pleasure started to fade.

Rodney slowly opened his eyes. John had stopped moving, other than his heaving chest, and it finally dawned on Rodney that John had come as well.

"Wow," he said.

John grinned. "Definitely wow."

Then John pulled out, and Rodney realized how sore his thighs were. "Oh, my god, you broke me," he said as he tried to straighten his legs. He thought he was getting a cramp in his groin.

"Maybe I should make you work out with Ronon after all," John said.

Rodney glared, but he shut up. He shifted around until he found the least achy position, then grabbed the handful of tissues John offered him. His chest was a complete mess, covered in come and sweat. He wiped most of it up, then crawled under the covers. John settled in beside him.

"You know it's not just about Teyla," John said quietly, right when Rodney was about to drift off to sleep.

"Huh? What?"

John's shoulder slid against Rodney's when he shrugged. "I mean, the way we started out, with her in the middle. You know it was never just about her, right?"

Rodney frowned away the sleepiness fogging his thoughts, until what John was saying finally made sense.

"Oh," he said. He had known that, really, but his throat seemed to be having a revelation. He coughed to clear it. "Right. For me, too."

"Good." John kissed his shoulder softly. "Now go to sleep. It's your turn to fuck me in a couple hours."

Rodney went to sleep.

END


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